Journalists graded after President Akufo-Addo meets the Press

This score/grading is part of the results of a content analysis study done on the questions journalists posed to president Akufo-Addo during his third encounter with the media almost two years into his administration.

The researchers believe that the type of questions asked by journalists is as important as, if not a trigger to, the kind of responses from the president.

The research is a collaborative work of media academics Kwaku Botwe, Selorm Adogla and Dr. Dr Etse Sikanku (Host, “World Affairs”, Class 91.3 fm). It is the fourth in the series of research work in this area which aims at systematically assessing type of questions posed by journalists in Ghana.

The result is as follows

* If a journalist asks two or more distinct questions each question was scored differently

The journalists were scored based on four criteria – nature of question, impact of question, and specificity of question.

Definition and score (weight) of the various criteria

Below are the questions asked by the journalists in the order in which they asked

Here are the 15 questions President Akufo-Addo was asked when he met Journalists

1. Edward Nyarko (GTV)

Mr. President, you cut a sod at the marine drive, expecting it’s going to help create a lot of jobs. What is the progress report so far? Thank you.

2. Ebo Quansah (The chronicle)

Mr. President, you’ve given us a very glossy picture of the economy. You said the IMF head was here recently but my knowledge of the IMF is like the owners of football clubs in Europe. The moment they give you their vote of confidence, the next moment you are out. I want to know how this glossy picture is going to impact on the Ghanaian because there appears to be a disconnect. We have very good figures in the books but ordinary Ghanaians are going to the Christmas and most of them are complaining that there is nothing in their pockets. But as former president of the sports writers association of Ghana, I just need to rope this in. We have one district, one factory. What about one district, one sports stadium?

3. Kwaku Dewuro (Kingdom Fm).

Mr. President, I bring you greetings from the Eastern Region. In government’s quest to mobilize more revenue, how do you ensure that you don’t overburden the importers through high import duties which will trickle down to the ordinary Ghanaian consumer? Thank you. 4. Kwadwo Acheampong (TV Africa)

Good evening Mr. President, my name is Kwadwo Acheampong, I report for TV Africa. I would want you to give me your assessment performance of your MPs with respect to the fisheries ministry. Thank you

5. Cecil Nii Obodai Wentum (GBC)

Afi oo, afi Mr. President. I want to talk about population management that will feed into the economy. You have recently said that you want us to be like Japan and the Asian tigers and if you compare their population and ours, if you look at the numbers in terms of children between or below the ages of 15, in Ghana we are talking about 40% of our population, and out of this we are aware that this is not the force within which we can derive so much in terms of labour. So I want to ask what exactly are you going to do? What radical measures you’re going to put in place to make sure that as we open our markets to the Nissans the VWs, as they come in, we have quality human capital that can turn our fortunes around. Thank you.

6. Yaw Kyei (Ghanaian times)

Good evening, Mr. President, in the past two years, all the economic indicators have been pointing towards the right direction and you said it yourself. But as my senior colleague said, people still don’t feel it in their pockets. What is the missing link? And, in the next two years what are we going to see?

7. Bismark Brown (Atinka Media)

Merry Christmas Mr. President. On the 19th of April 2015, a delegation from the Ministry of health traveled to Michigan in the United States and they were led by the director of Policy, Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation of the ministry, Dr Afisa Zakaria, On their return, Dr. Zakaria filed this report I have in my hand. The main purpose of this trip was to visit some facilities in Michigan and also raise and solicit support for Ghana or for Ghana’s preparedness and response to Ebola. They were hoping to galvanize support to build 10 regional infectious disease centres, rebuild the central medical stores facility in Tema, replenishment of medical supplies for the distribution center that was lost to the fire disaster, distribution of medical supplies and also familiarize themselves with some proposals and some facilities there. She, in fact, Dr. Zakaria secured the buy-in of the Michigan Aero-space Manufacturers Association and they agreed in principle to build 10 regional infectious disease centres, build and replenish a central medical store for the ministry of health, provide 2 ambulances for each of the 10 hospitals and two helicopters. Mr. President, in that report, Dr. Zakaria also indicated that the Michigan Aero-space…. …I’m sorry if I don’t build this background my question will be very meaningless. Mr. President, my question is this: you spoke about medical drones doing supplies. I am very much aware that on the 24th of August, 2017, a group from the Michigan Aero-space Manufacturers Association met with you. I want to understand the status of this proposal and also what is the difference between the current drone agreement we have from this very one. Thank you sir.

8. Kwame Adinkra (Abusua Fm)

Good evening Mr. President. I want to find out progress on the construction of a national theatre for Ashanti Region, for that matter Kumasi. As we are about to celebrate Christmas, sometimes we don’t have a befitting area to organize events so I want to know a progress report on your commitment to build a befitting national theatre in Kumasi.

9. Michael Oti Adjei (TV3)

Thank you Mr. President, my question relates to the No 12 video that brought Ghana Football to a standstill. I’m just wondering, your core lessons from that episode and how you think going forward the relationship between the football association and government should be because If there was anything from that episode, it was just sometimes the nature of it and how it affects everybody so what for you were your core lessons from it and how you intend to build a relationship between the next football association when the next elections are held and government.

10. Gordon Asare-Bediako (The New Crusading Guide)

Good evening Mr. President. My question is: In 2015, the central medical stores in Tema was raised down by fire. Ghana lost over 80 million dollors worth of medicine. National security had an investigation and officials were indicted. Last they were told, there were investigations ongoing. What is the current status of that investigation?

11. Abdul Hannan (Marhaba fm).

Mr. President, I bring you greetings from the good people in the Zongo community. My name is Abdul Hannan from Marhaba Media Liimited just a stone throw from your official Nima residence. Mr President, my question has to do with cyber security in areas like the Zongo community and the Zongo development fund itself. Mr. President we all know what is happening regarding cyber security involving our young men in this country and then the Zongo Development Fund also came up in the Zongo Development Fund, we understand that we are supposed to have community policing. But what we understand that the Zongo development Ministry has actually undertaken 51 projects in 41 Zongo communities in this country at the cost of some GHS15 million. So Mr. President, I would like to hear from you what these projects are because from what we know, currently, it is only the AstroTurf project that are going round in some of the Zongo communities across you know the country so I want to find out from you with regards to the community policing in the Zongo communities and the fact that we also have issues of cybercrime in the Zongo community and the country at large. Thank you.

12. Wiberforce Asare (Starr fm)

Mr President, my question has changed from energy to decentralization. We do know that when you were campaigning in 2016, you talked about the fact that district chief executives were going to be elected. Albeit, the provision in the 1992 constitution which says in Article 243 that there shall be a District Chief Executive from every region who shall be appointed by the President. I know some work has been going on with the issue about this election. I want to know where it is right now and what is the way forward with this issue about decentralization.

13. Donald Ato Dapatem (Daily Graphic)

Mr. President good evening. My name is Donald from Daily Graphic. Sir, in your bid to establish a mission in Oslo, there has been some controversies. I want to find out if your government has committed any resources in purchasing any building .If yes, how much? And I also want to find out from you if you also agree to what the opposition is saying that there should be an independent inquiry into what they claim might have happened. Thank you.

14. Charles Takyi Boadu (Daily Guide)

My name is Charles Takyi Boadu, I write for the Daily Guide News Paper .Mine is a simple one. Mr, president we know some of your major policy initiatives have come under attack from policy think tongues and the opposition political parties. Would you consider revising some of these policy initiatives including the free SHS? Thank you.